Diane Bell is an independent filmmaker and director whose first movie made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival. Born in Scotland into a big drinking culture, she could never conceive of a life without alcohol in it, until one day she woke up and realised how much better she felt without it and how much culture (including Film and TV) misleads us into believing alcohol was glamourous and exciting.

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Veronica explores how fear is the engine of an alcohol problem and how all humans experience fear. But no one talks about fear, we hide it deep inside of ourselves. She outlines some simple methods you could try to manage your fear and how the work of sobriety is learning how to manage our fear.

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Arlina Allen has been sober for thirty years and has written a book that clears up a lot of the misinformation about 12-step programs. They discuss the difference between the fellowship and the program and the common blocks people experience when trying to work the 12 steps.

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Dr. Ben Walden joins Veronica to delve into the complexities of sobriety for individuals on the autism spectrum. Dr. Walden sheds light on the challenges of diagnosing autism, a topic that often remains in the shadows. He stresses that new research is constantly emerging, keeping the audience informed and aware. Dr. Walden also discusses the integral role of community and group work in addiction recovery, while acknowledging the unique struggles individuals with autism may face in group settings, leading to heightened anxiety.

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Veronica is joined by a former client who got sober in one of her programs when she was 29. Now, two years later, she talks about how much her life has changed and how great her sobriety is. Creating community and connection was vital for her sobriety to become sustainable.

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Bria Gadd is the 'period whisperer', a certified holistic health coach she helps women navigate the peri menopause and the hormonal transitions women go through. She explains how women get themselves into 'health debt' and how women can manage the supply and demand of energy. And of course, one of the best ways to get out of health debt is to stop drinking alcohol.

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Veronica and Chip discuss the serious issue of pain management and sobriety. How does someone in recovery navigate pain management if they need to take opioids for pain relief? What are the pitfalls? How does someone in recovery navigate pain management? They share their experience and advice.

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Duane Osterlind is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specialises in helping people overcome sex addiction. He explains that sex addiction is a way to get connection and intimacy but remains unfulfilling and compulsive. Duane explains that it's essential to understand how shame factors into sex addiction and that dealing with shame is crucial to recovery. He also talks about how it affects partners and the trauma of betrayal. But that a marriage can survive, and someone can recover from sex addiction.

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Early sobriety is a unique experience, not to be judged or assumed as a reflection of the long term. Veronica shared her insights into the processes that unfold in the first year. The physical changes, the brain's self-repair, and the emotional processes are all part of this unique journey.

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Artist and director of the Create Now Academy Sarah Gillespie joins Veronica to discuss The Call of the Self. How addiction prevents us being who we really are. And that the calling of an artist is the same as the calling to stop drinking.

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Breaking the cycle of drinking - Bonus episode

Sign up here: https://go.soberful.com/break-the-cycle

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